Horom Citadel ( hy, Հոռոմ Բերդ, also

Romanize Romanization or romanisation, in linguistics, is the conversion of text from a different writing system to the Roman (Latin) script, or a system for doing so. Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing written text, and ...

d as Orom and Horrom) is an ancient

Bronze Age The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...

through

Urartian Urartian or Vannic is an extinct Hurro-Urartian language which was spoken by the inhabitants of the ancient kingdom of Urartu (''Biaini'' or ''Biainili'' in Urartian), which was centered on the region around Lake Van and had its capital, Tushpa, ...

fortification atop two large hills south of the main road and opposite of the dam and Kamut Reservoir. It is about east of the village of

Horrom Horom ( hy, Հոռոմ, also Romanized as Orom and Horrom) is a village in the Shirak Province of Armenia. Located 1 km east of Horom and situated upon two large hills south of the main road and opposite of the dam and reservoir is the ancien ...

in the

Shirak Province Shirak ( hy, wikt:Շիրակ, Շիրակ, ) is a provinces of Armenia, province (''Administrative divisions of Armenia, marz'') of Armenia. It is located in the north-west of the country, bordering Turkey to the west and Georgia (country), Geor ...

of northwestern

Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...

. Not far from this location in Ghak and Shvaghtapa are two Urartian

cyclopean Cyclopean masonry is a type of stonework found in Mycenaean architecture, built with massive limestone boulders, roughly fitted together with minimal clearance between adjacent stones and with clay mortar or no use of mortar. The boulders typic ...

forts. Horom is considered to be one of the most impressive archaeological sites in Armenia because of its unique architecture. There are

potsherd In archaeology, a sherd, or more precisely, potsherd, is commonly a historic or prehistoric fragment of pottery, although the term is occasionally used to refer to fragments of stone and glass vessels, as well. Occasionally, a piece of broken p ...

s and

obsidian Obsidian () is a naturally occurring volcanic glass formed when lava extrusive rock, extruded from a volcano cools rapidly with minimal crystal growth. It is an igneous rock. Obsidian is produced from felsic lava, rich in the lighter elements s ...

flakes strewn on the surface of the ground. Recent excavations have been underway at the site recently by Armenian and American archaeologists led by Ruben Badalian and Philip Kohl. The teams have uncovered a well preserved fortification walls as well as large amounts of cultural artifacts that have given insight into those who once resided at the site.

References

* Archaeological sites in Armenia Castles in Armenia Forts in Armenia Urartian cities Tourist attractions in Shirak Province Buildings and structures in Shirak Province {{NEast-archaeology-stub